The Apricot Centre

The Apricot Centre is an organic fruit farm and educational centre, which has recently relocated to a 13ha site in Devon. On its previous 1.55ha (3.9ha) site in Essex, 1.37ha was planted to a fruit orchard and forest garden. The site was designed in 2000 using permaculture principles, to provide fruit and flower crops over the longest possible season. These include a wide range of apple (desert and cider), pear and plum varieties which crop from July through to October, as well as rhubarb, gooseberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry, peach, apricot, greengage, quince, medlar and cut flowers. The best fruit was sold in London at the Growing Communities’ box scheme and weekly farmers’ market, while blemished and surplus produce was made into jams, chutneys and cordials worth £3,000-4,000 per year. Before relocating, the fruit farm generated a gross income of about £20,000 per year and provided part time livelihoods for two people.

The Apricot Centre hosts about 25 educational visits for school children each year, enabling them to harvest fruit and learn about processing (juice pressing and jam making) and bringing in an additional income of £3,000 each year. During the winter, permaculture design and craft courses and a forest school brought in an additional £17,000 each year. The organic management of the orchard and forest garden mean they contain an abundance of wildlife, while providing a valuable educational experience to school children and fruit, preserved products and flowers for people in London.